Andrew 4

See it if You enjoy gentle satire that turns into something quite frightening and poignant, plays that comment on current political scene, funny perfs

Don't see it if Don’t like one act plays, satire, politically-relevant plays, stories that tear at the heart of who we are & what we are capable of doing

See it if You enjoy plays about the African-American experience & Harlem Renaissance, stories about racism & homophobia, evocative acting

Don't see it if Not interested in the African-American experience of the 30’s, want a comedy and not a tragic tale, don’t like themes of racism, homophobia

See it if interested in conversion therapy in Australia, creative casting of no cis-gender males as the gay clients, treatment of indigenous peoples

Don't see it if Casting of trans- or cis-women in all male roles disturbs you, you don't think conversion therapy is bad, no interest in Aussie history

See it if fan of Richard Greenberg or any of the actors, enjoy plays about families with secrets, economic & class conflicts, generational issues

Don't see it if have no patience for long, bloated first acts with little plot, no foreshadowing of twists, overlong conversations, unlikable characters

Also This show is very disappointing Greenberg. The first act is overlong and doesn't even accomplish the goal of establishing all the characters involved in the depicted wedding party, a number of the discussions go on much too long especially one dealing with a younger person's sexual postings on social media, Yes, we get it that these genteel adults just don't get it, but nonetheless have some harrowing secrets of their own that their social or political stature has kept them admitting or revealing. Two major characters go sight unseen throughout the play, as well as three very minor characters who sound very intriguing though treated with disdain by the others. Don't really get to know the younger characters that well, and the behavior of the groom to be, while helpful in resolving all the plot points, seems a little naively enthusiastic. Many more laughs in the second act than the first and the characters come much more alive there.... Read more Read less

See it if Interested in Ma-Yi Theater, Japanese-American & mother-daughter issues, nonlinear and fantasy style story, breaking of fourth wall

Don't see it if Not interested in Japanese-American plays, want a linear, easy to follow plot, don’t like quirky characters or breaking of 4th wall

Also Want to see work of an emerging playwright that was a hit at Bushwick Star last year, ponder difficult mother-daughter relationships, experience fantastical story-telling with characters exhibiting odd even impossible behavior, but with a leading character played by the author who is someone to root for... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy Mint discoveries, fan of Chekhov, Tolstoy & Russian drama, want to see unusual studies about love, enjoy a bill of 2 one-acts

Don't see it if can't patiently endure a slow, excruciating curtain raiser to wait for a really good play, expect traditional love stories

See it if interested in ambitious structure, 3 great female roles, ability to figure out time frames & relationships, cross-generation motherhood tale

Don't see it if don't enjoy stories about suicide & frayed mother-daughter relationships, easily confused by simultaneous time frames & actors in many roles

See it if you're a fan of O'Connell or Hnath, curious about a true-life kidnapping & the lip-sync method of telling story, enjoy riveting stories

Don't see it if don't like 1-person, 1-act plays, actor lip-syncing to actual narration confuses you, upset by kidnapping, rape stories, strobes, loud noise

Also This is a remarkable, riveting evening that impresses, shocks, draws you in, mesmerizes and surprises. Quite an achievement for both actress and playwright... Read more Read less

See it if fan o Drew Droege, enjoy 1-person plays as actor assumes variety of roles, appreciate a gay male sensibility, can laugh at gay archtypes

Don't see it if not a fan of 60-minute, 1 person play, don't like gay content or don't find gay humor or characters funny. want more depth or insight

See it if you're looking for something different in musicals, enjoy being deliciously surprised, like going from glum to glorious in 70 minutes

Don't see it if quick, short musical is not your thing, don't like unexpected joy rides or thinking there will be lots of talk about death (not!)

See it if you're a fan of the original, curious about a new version, fan of Beth Malone or director Marshall, interested in story of Molly & Titanic

Don't see it if not a fan of traditional style musicals or big musicals adapted for a smaller stage, want biographical shows to adhere closely to truth

See it if fan of Laura Linney or author Strout, enjoy 1-person shows, like mother-daughter stories, personal confessions,

Don't see it if you have mother or guilt issues, don't enjoy static storytelling or tired narrators who don't share all feelings, don't like 1-person shows

See it if interested in different take on classic tale, like poetic narration with some music, woman as both doctor and monster, good performances

Don't see it if don't care about Frankenstein, don't want to see a two-person, psychologically deep take, expect more plot & action & less rumination

See it if enjoy workplace stories, plays about stilted small town life, semi-tragic character studies, characters striving to make changes

Don't see it if you don't like frustrated ambition tales or stories of denial, work place plays, characters in denial, dead-end lives in small towns

See it if enjoy funny new musicals, like quirky settings & odd characters, curious about how emojis are depicted, tame love story plotlines

Don't see it if not a fan of new musicals, don't like hackneyed plots, don't want to see Ann Harada's talents wasted, no desire to see emojis humanized

See it if You enjoy the Dracula legend, want a fresh, feminist take on the story, like plays in intimate spaces, follow Kate Hamill’s adaptations

Don't see it if Don’t like anything vampiric or Draculean, the idea of female VanHelsing or Renfield turns you off, and a Dracula off-stage most of the

See it if you enjoy intimate 1-person shows culled from the performer's own life, playing Bingo based on which stories she tells: love, divorce, dates

Don't see it if you expect a full plot, don't like gimmicks like bingo, odd story titles, surface glimpses at her life, 1-person shows, audience involvement

See it if Fan of the playwright, get a feel for dying Idaho towns, enjoy complex characters with strong female lead, see mine created as part of set

Don't see it if Don’t like 3-act 2-intermission plays, stories about dying towns, many scenes in low lights, manufactured suspense

See it if You’re a fan of Charles Busch, you love to laugh, enjoy 40’s movies cliches, drag tropes, a bit of risqué humor, mindless fun, sharp wit

Don't see it if Not a fan of drag, can’t relate to movie references, don’t like the deliberate tackiness of Busch shows, can’t get Busch’s humor

See it if you enjoy modern Irish drama, two-character plays, stories about strangers connecting, folk with esteem issues & guilt, people who feel real

Don't see it if don't like new plays, Irish drama, two-handers, talk about abortion and abuse, 80-minute one acters, Irish accents & slang

See it if liked the film & 80's Brit-pop, family struggle stories, youthful energy, actors on instruments, choreography as natural to plot, love story

Don't see it if don't like loud rock music played live, predictable plot, typical family saga, to convenient happy endings, limited character development

See it if Fan of Ayckbourn, enjoy this play, want to see how a real British company handles it, enjoy acerbic comedy

Don't see it if You expect elaborate sets & lighting, don’t like imported shows, have trouble within men, not a fan of slapstick or pun-like humor

Also Not a lot new here, but always learn something as part of this....

See it if chance to see rare production staged in huge space, interested in von Horvath & issues of guilt & blame, to see the power of the mob,

Don't see it if not a fan of loud noises, huge sets being slowly dragged across theater, people lost among the sets, don't like stories of infidelity, guilt

See it if you're a fan of Maury Yeston's music, like to hear it out of context from the original musical to see if they have staying power (they do!)

Don't see it if you don't know Maury Yeston or weren't a fan of shows like Titanic, Grand Hotel, Nine, and the Yeston version of Phantom, don't like revues

Also At the production I saw (during previews), one of the actors had lost his voice and since there are no understudies, the actors, director and composer himself reworked the show which deep-sixed all numbers (solo or ensemble) in which this actor appeared), but there were still enough numbers with the remaining performers, and as a bonus for a paying audience, the composer himself, Maury Yeston, served as an informal master of ceremonies and shared some of his stories and recollections from his experience in composing the various shows or related experiences at award shows, etc. It really did add to the experience--I did not feel shortchanged at all--and it was great to spend some time hearing from Maury Yeston.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy plays with large casts, slice of life stories about staff & residents of a female halfway house, reality with humor & warmth

Don't see it if don't enjoy 3+hour plays, realistic portrayals of damaged humans, vivid depictions of sex & mental illness, broken social service system

See it if Want to see plays by & about the Asian-American experience, enjoy mysteries about one’s background,

Don't see it if Not interested in Asian-American takes told in a noir style or stories about trying to find one’s roots, open ended plots

See it if fan of Jerry Herman, enjoy the OBC cast album of the show & want to see how it is staged, wonder if Douglas Sills still has it (he does)

Don't see it if It's not one of your favorite scores, don't like the Mabel Normand story & fact that the book isn't that accurate about her career

See it if curious about J. K. Toole's life and how Confederacy of Dunces became a classic after his death, enjoy mother-son stories, bio-dramas

Don't see it if not a fan of Toole or his masterwork, don't enjoy slightly staged works using same set for multiple locations or unnecessary flashbacks

Also This has the potential to be a much stronger play although the cramped staging at 59E59th Street prevents a grander scope from being achieved, the actors are excellent especially Spahn and Purl, who is directed to histronics from time to time.The mystery of Toole's death is somewhat resolved although there remain some questions about that and also Toole's lifestyle which is only peripherally hinted at, there is too much repetition with some scenes between Toole and one of his students repeated in various configurations and it takes too long for his mother to decide to send his manuscript to a noted writer. It did spur me to want ot learn more about Toole's life and his relationship with his mother.... Read more Read less

See it if you're a fan of Steve Earle, enjoy oral histories of real events, interested in issues facing coal miners & families and workers vs. owners

Don't see it if don't like topical musicals, identify more with mgmt than workers, expect a happy, song & dance musical not one about real tragic events

See it if You enjoy musicals, Romantic war stories, untrustworthy narrators, historical mysteries with modern repercussions , chamber musicals

Don't see it if You don’t like Small-scale musicals with two simultaneous timelines,, war stories, obsessed heroines, lonely characters who can’t connect

See it if interested in plight of immigrants & deportation impact, enjoy family stories, parental/step-parent issues, seeing Latina characters

Don't see it if immigration/deportation subject can be frustrating & worrying, don't like too many offstage characters, lengthy time jumps disturbing,

See it if you're a fan of Katori Hall, enjoy black, gay male humor, like cooking contests & family plays, coming of age tales, good laughs

Don't see it if don't enjoy plays in which 4 main roles are gay, public displays of gay affection, lots of black gay jargon spoken swiftly or spicy chicken

See it if you enjoy stand up comedy, Jewish humor, Jewish family stories, one person shows with lots of slides, family and cultural stories

Don't see it if don't enjoy shows that are essentially stand up gigs with a few props and slides, don't appreciate Jewish humor and family stories

See it if curious how film transforms into a musical, fan of Duncan Sheik's music, want to see Suzanne Vega sing and perform, fan of 1-act musicals

Don't see it if you want a memorable score or a stunning, meaningful book, need interesting characters, dance numbers, etc., expect another Spring Awakening

See it if fan of Ruth Negga & how well she plays an intelligent, petulant teen, discover different approach to Hamlet very well-staged, strong support

Don't see it if you do not wish to see yet another Hamlet, do not like female actors as male characters, 3+hr. length of play & language too daunting,

See it if Want to see rarely- produced Shakespeare play, see main character portrayed as a woman , enjoy themes of greed, friendship & betrayal

Don't see it if Don’t like Shakespeare & trouble with his language, don’t like His “problem plays,” curious about play he co-wrote with Middleton, static

See it if you like 1-person shows, actor imitating real people he has interviewed, concerned about immigration and refuge, versatile actor

Don't see it if don't like 1-person shows, not interested in immigration or superficial approach to issue, want more "meat" & underlying message

See it if enjoy one person shows, poetic, rhyming dialogue, sprawling fables with audience participation & decision-making, dynamic performance

Don't see it if don't like confusing, poetic dialogue, 1-person shows, audience speak and response, too phony initial setup of a town meeting

See it if if you are a fan of Beth Wohl or any of the cast, enjoy modern family comedies on a subject seldom presented, like great curtain scenes

Don't see it if topic seems a little too frothy for you, want subject explored more seriously, petulant adult children disturb you, don't like divorce tales

See it if you enjoy funny new musicals, riffs on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Italian family stories with gangsters, some up and coming musical stars

Don't see it if think West Side Story is enough adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, don't like Italian cliches, don't like small chamber musicals, strained ideas

See it if See a drag queen's wild, hectic costume changes in a slapstick mode that is clever & exhausting, bizarre behavior with no story but heart

Don't see it if Garish, colorful outfits put on and off at breakneck speed is off-putting, want a story & dialogue, can't deal with hectic pace, loud music

See it if You like unusual theater mixing video, puppetry, video within puppets, loud sound effects, deliberately garbled dialogue

Don't see it if You like linear plot lines and not odd-looking video installations/ puppets in constant hard to follow motion, loud noises, frenzied motion

Also The chaos can be clever for chaos’s sake and how they time they videos with the constantly changing backdrops and the movement of the puppets (they do not call these vacuum cleaner resembling creations puppets at all—they would probably be offended if you called them that. The show is only 45 minutes long Which is probably sufficient!... Read more Read less

See it if You liked the music of the baby boom generation (46-69), 1-person shows with on target impressions & singing, great projections, lived it!

Don't see it if Unfamiliar with or don’t care about boomers & their period, not into history or music, don’t like 1-person shows, superficial history

See it if To see a contemporary take on Medea on a white set using video, fan of Byrne (frighteningly terrific) & Canavale, great child actors

Don't see it if Don’t want another Medea or plays about marital discord, obsession, male privilege, blind ambition, revenge. Don’t like video, modern takes

Also Very effective use of video, very contemporary explanation for part of Anna’s (the Medea of this play) anger and madness—believable contemporary reason, which sadly resembles actual contemporary situations. Byrne can act and the videos especially showcase her face and emotions.... Read more Read less

See it if curious about playwright, enjoy verbal farce, actors creating great characters, deliciously complicated plot, exquisite set

Don't see it if farce is not your thing, don't like plays from the 1850's, not in the mood for frivolous yet artful comedy, slightly overdone characters

See it if landmark theater piece, underwood earnest, grier frightening, o'connell revealing, learn about African-Americans in military, impact of rank

Don't see it if not interested in military stories, murder mysteries, treatment of blacks in military, men in barracks, once revealing but now familiar plot

See it if You enjoy Irish drama, stories reflecting coming of age in isolated towns, male-female relationships, love triangles, doomed romances

Don't see it if Not a fan of Irish plays, have trouble with accents, don’t like strictly monologue plays (albeit 3 simultaneously) or dark, bleak subjects

See it if fan of Ken Jennings, interested in this Gospel, are a Christian, enjoy 1-person shows, have seen performances of other Gospels (ie. Mark)

Don't see it if Not a Christian or interested in the Gospels, don't enjoy 1-person shows, uncomfortable around religion, not familiar with John

See it if you like clever, unusual one act plays about self-esteem, especially among young African American men, rapid fire dialogue, identity issues

Don't see it if you don't like nonlinear works set in non-specific locales, contemporary and blunt issues among African American men, nudity, crude language

See it if you enjoy creative clowning, physical humor, dazzling use of "snow," and lots of children laughing & screaming, visual surprises and delight

Don't see it if you don't like shows without plots, visual humor, simple sight jokes, clowns walking over seats, water sprays & frightening blizzard